Café du Monde — French Market
French Quarter · 800 Decatur Street, New Orleans, LA 70116
Jon’s pick for New Orleans is Café du Monde. Start at the French Market coffee stand on Decatur Street with a café au lait and beignets. The café serves coffee and chicory; its traditional café au lait combines that brew with an equal amount of hot milk. Before adding sugar, take a sip and notice the roasted flavor, the body, and how the milk changes the finish. Take another sip after a bite of beignet. Does the coffee seem less sweet or more roasty beside it? There is no right answer. This is a small tasting exercise, with powdered sugar on the side. Check the official location page for current hours before you go.
Plan your visit with the official guideSource: Café du Monde’s official locations and coffee pages. Coffee source. Location information checked October 2026. Confirm the current location and opening hours before going.
Bring the idea home.
Bring the idea home with a coffee-and-chicory blend, following its brewing directions and your brewer’s capacity. Warm milk gently without boiling. Begin with 100 ml brewed coffee and 100 ml warm milk in a heat-safe cup, then adjust to taste. This is equal parts brewed coffee and milk, not a coffee-to-water brewing ratio. If you use ordinary coffee, you can still make a pleasant café au lait, though it will taste different. Try the coffee-with-milk guide below, and record the blend, brewing method, and how much milk you liked.
Three notes to take.
- What coffee or drink did you order?
- What did you notice before adding anything?
- What would you like to try in your next home cup?